Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying
by read me like a book
Summary: SasukeSakura After the 2 ½ years or so time jump. Sasuke is back, willingly or not. And Sakura is dragged back into a severed friendship, of sorts. Repost of a story started under a different name.
1. Now That All Hell Is About To Break Lose

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**Get Busy Living Or Get Busy Dying**-- Sasuke/Sakura After the 2 ½ years or so time jump. Sasuke is back, willingly or not. And Sakura is dragged back into a severed friendship, of sorts. **This is a repost of a story I started. I didn't like where it was going. Meant to be a couple long parts.**

_DISCLAIMER: I actually don't own Naruto characters, plot, or ideas and (sadly) will most likely never will…_

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_--- _

Rain lashed at the window of a large office, the sky beyond was shadowed from the thunderclouds. Lightening flashed illuminating the rest of the room that wasn't bathed in the golden glow of the desk lamp. A blonde woman sat at a gleaming mahogany desk, thin fingers steeped. Her crystal blue eyes were hard as she watched the young man standing stationary before her.

The young man, teenager really, was tall and gangly. Blond locks of hair were naturally spiked at strange angles. His normally ecstatic features were serious and stoic, his light sapphire eyes a dark sea blue.

The stretched silence was awkward. The teenager barely sighed and with a short bow that was almost a mock at his superior he turned sharply.

"Oh and Naruto…?

Naruto paused in the doorway, hands clenched at his side while the bloodied cut from his pervious mission's fight were now healed, supernaturally fast, though he was still dusty and torn.

The Hokage's voice was eerily cold. "This mission must succeed at all costs. Neutralize Uchiha… or kill him."

Naruto stiffened visibly beneath the tattered black and orange jumpsuit. Then his shoulders squared and his chin raised a fraction of an inch. His voice was detached and distant when he replied softly.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama."

Lightening flashed again; Naruto's bitter eyes glowered with confusion and hate. The words felt insensitive and repulsive as they formed on his tongue. His head turned to steal a look over his shoulder guardedly

"… If I must I will kill him…"

Lightening flashed as miles away the air was split, sizzling, by a fully charged "lightening blade."

---

A figure slashed the air again swinging a supernatural fast sweep that would have taken a grown mans head off. But he wasn't there. He never was. The younger man pulled back watching his more experienced adversary block his every attempt. Taking a deep breath he dodged in and the pair met in a flurry of mad blows, each performed with deadly precision and blocked with natural ease

Suddenly the attacker jumped away, flipping back over his hands and jumping straight up into the trees as a hidden kunai was stabbed at his gut. Seeing the movement in the arm muscles, he twisted, letting the kunai pass carelessly close

The defender quickly switched directions, flipping the kunai to hold it defensively between him and his opponent. The younger man settled into a crouch, panting softly, hidden in the density of the trees branches to catch his breath. His left foot moved a hairs breath, half of it already off the tree limb.

---

Naruto extended his foot to the next branch as he poured on the speed, trees and brush blending like running watercolor. Naruto briefly closed his eyes enjoying the feel of the chakra flowing through his muscles

The tips of his ears barely twitched as the acutest whistle reached his ears. Never breaking stride he turned toward the sound. After five well placed jumps, he let gravity pull his body down to land on the forest floor with a muffled thud. He slowly straightened as within seconds three people landed neatly beside him.

"What is it?" Naruto asked impatiently.

"Calm down, Naruto," Sai snapped. He sighed as his arms unconsciously crossed in an antisocial manner. Naruto glared coldly at the boy that could pass for Sasuke's double

"Kiba said Akamaru smelled something ahead. Something bad. I think we should let Neji take a look before we wander blindly into a trap!" Sai growled.

Naruto blinked slowly. He could see Kiba's brown spiky head nodding his affirmation from the corner of his eye; Akamaru nowhere in sight. The small bundle beneath Kiba's shirt answered the unasked question.

Naruto sighed and turned to Neji. Neji nodded. He turned away, hands already performing seal signs

"Byakugan." He shouted. The veins surrounding his temples and neck jumped into perspective as he activated his kekkei genkai

Neji scanned the land slowly, seeing through tree and shadows for the next league in the forest. He took a breath. Neji's silver eyes closed as he let his chakra slip away. He sighed.

Sai and Kiba turned to Naruto but he was already gone, running through the trees as his speeds limit. He suddenly ran out of trees that ended in a clearing and had to slam on the brakes; the force almost yanked him out of the tall, _tall_ tree until he sent a wave of chakra to his feet to hold him to the branch. He exhaled calmly as settled into a crouch as he took a deep breath. He nearly choked. _Blood._ The metallic smell was overpowering, driving all senses haywire.

---

_Blood._ The teenager drew his hand away from the sticky warm mass that was his tattered shirt. The kunai had come dangerously close. He winced mentally as he growled under his breath to distract himself from the pain.

"Itachi!" He spun around, crimson eyes scanning the trees and ground surrounding him furiously.

"_Sasuke…You're a weak, pathetic excuse for a ninja…"_

The younger boy's sweaty hands clenched into fists.

"_For an Uchiha…"_

Crimson eyes flashed open as Sasuke spun around. He jerked to the side as a kunai that would've lodged in his throat cut a wire thin scratch from his ear. At his collarbone the kunai sank into tender flesh. Sasuke's scream was cut to a guttural cry as a pale hand shot out of the shadows behind him closed on his throat and tightened. Sasuke's darkening eyes filled with Itachi's smirking face.

"_Too late again, younger brother…"_

Sasuke's world shuddered. His head felt lighter than the air it needed. Gripping at the wrist of the hand suffocating him, he spat out, "I will not die… today, brother…"

"_You try so hard to be better than me, but face it Sasuke: even as you grow stronger—_so do I

Itachi's hand tightened briefly and blackness set in before he shoved Sasuke from him. Sasuke lurched away, teetering on the edge of the thick limb before falling. He twisted in midair to grab a branch. His hand closed on a feeble twig that broke under his velocity and weight, hurling him into the neighboring trees trunk. Sasuke desperately tried to spread the impact away from his vital organ areas as his head hit the trunk with a loud crack. His body fell limp in freefall as twigs and bark were shredded off the tree, cutting and bruising him. His seemingly lifeless body collapsed in a heap as the ground rushed up to met him. Sasuke didn't move; black eyes stayed closed.

A dark form was crouched over Sasuke as his eyes opened a few moments later. The dark green forest spun as Sasuke levered himself onto his elbow.

"Pathetic."

A sharp kick caught Sasuke in the ribs, throwing him against the tree. Sasuke screamed as a kunai stabbed into his shoulder, pinning him to the tree. Sasuke grunted in the effort to keep from screaming again in pain

His body stiffened against a hot breath on his ear. "You don't even know the meaning of pain; let alone what it feels like.

Searing white pain hit Sasuke's arm. Itachi smiled grimly as he continued to drag the kunai bone deep through his younger brothers left arm. Blood gushed over into Sasuke's lap; drenching his skin and clothes.

Sasuke chuckled hysterically. Once. Twice. Itachi frowned. Something was _very_ wrong.

---

Naruto dropped to the ground. Fear was palpable on the incompatible gentle breeze that swept over the damaged field. The sunset streaked the sky blood red. Long furrows raked the ground as if a demon had raked his nails across the soil. Scorch marks littered the ground; mingling blood pooled in the lands dips and sways. Naruto's aimlessly wandering feet slowly drew him into the forest

Low mechanical laughing echoed in his bleeding ears as his vision spun, blurring sky and land. Something shifted from the deep darkness of Sasuke's mind. A warm hand closed on his upper arm and the weight in his lap shifted.

"Itachi..." His breath was barely a whisper. Sasuke reached out a hand. But he didn't move. His vision blurred, dimming out.

Serious blue eyes met Sasuke's black ones.

"I know someone with blue eyes." Sasuke whispered as memories lit behind his eyes. Sakura, Kakashi and Naruto in their Team Seven days; his parents death replayed in his mind; Orochimaru's commands; Itachi's last moments.

"Itachi…" Sasuke gasped. He reached out a hand. But he didn't move. Then his world shuddered and went dark.

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---Updating as soon as possible. Comment, please. 


	2. When Everything Comes At A Price

**Get Busy Living Or Get Busy Dying**-- Sasuke/Sakura After the 2 ½ years or so time jump. Sasuke is back, willingly or not. And Sakura is dragged back into a severed friendship, of sorts. **This is a repost of a story I started. I didn't like where it was going. Meant to be a couple long parts.**

DISCLAIMER: I actually don't own Naruto characters, plot, or ideas and (sadly) will most likely never will…

…

"**Am I supposed to be happy? With all I ever wanted, it comes with a price (1)."**

…

Voices. Two of them.

"_They want to pull the plug on him."_

Female. Young; probably around his age; whispered with a mix of emotions lacing through the words.

The other person sighed. _"Will they?"_

Male. Around Sasuke's age again; tired but bold.

"_I said they wanted to. Not that they will. Come on, Naruto, it's already been two weeks. Tsunade's worked on him even!"_

Sasuke recoiled in his mind, stiffened at the name. _Naruto?_ Then that meant…

"_Well, what about you, Sakura?" _

Sasuke listened Sakura's sigh. Her voice had changed. Sasuke strained to hear her now soft voice but an underlying tone betrayed that softness in her voice. She was extremely uncomfortable but being as prudent as ever she tried to cover it up even when he was unconscious.

She whispered, _"I have…but Naruto, there could be damage that no amount of chakra can fix. And we won't know if any exists until he wakes up."_

Damage…? What damage?! Sasuke immediately opened his eyes. But they didn't move. He tried to open his mouth; lift his hand; scream at the top of his lungs that he wasn't gone yet: no movement whatsoever. He was a prisoner trapped within his own paralyzed body. Maybe he had hit his back a little too hard… had his spine snapped? Had any of the nerves connecting his vertebrae and brain been severed?

His thoughts scattered as he heard Sakura sigh once more and this time velvet soft skin gently brushed his calloused hand. Her voice was shaky, like a song over the radio going in and out of frequency, in and out of silence.

"_I don't know anymore, Naruto. But if this lasts any longer than…"_

Sasuke _wanted_ to panic. For the first time in his life. He _willed_ his body to react violently, to show Naruto and Sakura that he was still there listening to every word of their startling conversation … Maybe then they wouldn't pull the plug; maybe then they wouldn't kill him.

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Sakura sat legs curled beneath her in a comfortable chair in Tsunade's office, a larger-than-normal medical textbook open in her lap as she propped her chin on her hand, staring numbly at the book she held in her hands. Her bangs fell into half closed green eyes as she absorbed the dense text without actually reading it. Her thoughts were far away from the words she read, drifting back to the previous morning.

_A loud blare of the village alarm sounded, wrenching Sakura out of her thoughts. Her head flew up. And the pebble she had been nudging with her foot fell into the creek, disrupting the image of the girl. She was already gone by the time the water stilled, disappearing in the blink of an eye, running on the branches at the treetops directly toward the village gate. Naruto, Neji and Sai were coming back from a B-ranked mission. _

_Trees and brush blended like running watercolor as Sakura poured on the speed, loving the feel of the chakra flowing through her muscles. She suddenly ran out of branches and had to slam on the brakes; the force almost yanked her out of the tall, tall tree. Sakura exhaled calmly and settled into a crouch, waiting._

_Jade eyes widened a hair's breadth. Frozen in shock, Sakura dimly felt her heart skipped a beat. _

_There Naruto stood shifting uneasily, blood covering his tattered black-and-orange jumpsuit. He was sagging slightly under the weight of the teenager draped around his broad shoulders. Dark hair with a tint of navy was naturally unruly spikes that fell over an impassive pale face with dark eyes closed. He appeared tall, nearly as tall as Naruto or slightly taller, and was wiry muscular. But his body was molted with bruises and cuts, and at least 5 visible bone fractures. Sakura's throat constricted. _

_Sasuke._

_ANBU officers surrounded Naruto, his ragged mission team, and his captive, interrogating them. Their weapons were pointed at Sasuke. But Naruto's eyes focused past them and he remained silent. Abruptly he turned his head to glance over his shoulder. Sapphire eyes met ominous jade ones. And he sighed, suddenly looking older than his 15 years. _

"_I'm sorry, Sakura," Naruto whispered under his breath. His best friend read his lips and then from the corner of his eye he watched her vanish._

A solitary tear glistened as it fell from her right eye. Yesterday he had finally come home; it was just too unbelievable… and painful.

A soft knock echoed through the wooden door. A cold mask slide over her features as Sakura lifted a hand to casually brush away the tear.

"Come in, it's open," she called, lowering her eyes to the pages of the tome she was assigned to read. The scrambled words flooding her eyes refused to decode themselves as the door opened and a tall figure slipped into the room. Silence weighed in the air, Sakura did not lift her head.

"Moshi Moshi Kakashi."

"Sakura…" The copycat ninja inclined his head as he leaned a hip into Tsunade's desk. Sakura heard the question in his tone before he spoke.

"I'm fine, Kakashi," she said shortly.

"Is Sasuke?" The question caught her off guard and her breath caught.

"He—He's fine!" she said hurriedly.

"Okay, I was just wondering… well, I'll see you and Team Seven later tonight then." And with that Kakashi turned to leave. As his black gloved hand pressed down on the metal door handle he stopped and turned back to his beloved student.

Sakura was now sitting bolt upright in her chair, eyes locked on her former sensei. Her mouth fumbled feebly as her mind tried to for coherent words.

"Te—Tea—Team…"

"Team seven. Yes." Kakashi smiled under his mask; Sakura read his eyes. He was happy. "Well, later Sakura!"

And with that Kakashi strolled out of the room, gently closing the door behind him as he stuffed a hand into his pocket.

_Another Team Seven training with Kakashi…?_

- - -

When her shift was over, Sakura smoked out Naruto from wandering the many twisting corridors of the hospital and sent him home to recover from the latest mission. He only obeyed when she promised to talk to him tonight when they met Kakashi. But instead of going home herself, Sakura's aimlessly wandering feet had taken to the path up the mountain side. She sighed as she sat in the cold wind on top of the Hokage head. She watched a small bird struggle to fly against the wind current. Her chin ducked to land on her knees that she had promptly brought up tight to her chest.

The wind tugged eagerly on her simple crimson and black kimono,whipping it around the jonin kunoichi's slender form.

After two and a half years of intense training under Tsunade, her abilities as a ninja had flourished in the form of medical jutsu and the use of chakra to create immense physical strength. Naruto and Kakashi had even gone so far to call it her "insane strength." Sakura smiled warily as she thought of her best friend and sensei.

Naruto now glared down at her from his superior height of 6' 3" to her 5' 5". His sapphire eyes still held that mischievous glint as they had before and his blonde hair was spiked at strange angles but Naruto had changed. That didn't mean he was any less annoying. He had become more considerate and careful around Sakura than anyone else. He was still her protector, even though she showed him on more than one occasion she could take care of herself.

Kakashi was the same as always: a lazy, sarcastic ninja that always had his nose in his perverted book. But he found a way, despite the team's separation, to spend hours with two of his former students. He could generally be found standing lazily at the side of his only female student while the blonde knuckle-headed ninja made her laugh or walking quietly with Saukra after a particularly long hospital shift to make sure she got home without walking into a ditch in her stupor.

Naruto and Kakashi had been all she had to turn to when her heart was shattered after **_he_** had left.

Sakura's thoughts turned cold as the last member of the dissected Team Seven came to mind: _Sasuke_. Her eyes glowered with confusion and hate.

_And now he's back… In the Critical Ward probably about to be let go... but back. _

_Now what…?_

- - -

"Sakura…? Sakura, hello…?"

Sakura stared numbly at her feet as she aimlessly walked through Konoha's streets.

"SAKURA!"

Hands grabbed her and jerked her out of the way of a bicycler who shouted angrily behind him at the reckless teenager. Green eyes blinked. Sakura looked up into Naruto's worried blue eyes. He still had a hand clamped onto her arm. She tried to shrug him off. His grip only tightened. He shook his head.

"Not until you tell me what's truly wrong with you," he said firmly.

The pair had met up and was presently heading to Ichiraku's. Sakura's mind was reeling from all the piled emotions from the past few torturous days.

Sakura's eyes clouded again, and Naruto frowned. He was losing her again. "Sakura."

She looked up at him again, her eyes darker then their normal olive jade. But she smiled warmly up at him. "I'm fine, Naruto."

Slowly he let his hand fall from its protective hold on Sakura's arm. She sighed and then smiled again. "Let's just hurry up and meet Kakashi and his new team; I'm just tired."

Naruto nodded, relaxing slightly, seemingly accepting Sakura's lame excuse. He knew what was bothering her, tearing her up inside. If only he knew what would happen next and could warn her in time to seal off her already broken heart. But he didn't know. No one did. It was the last thing anyone expected.

- - -

Sasuke sat bolt upright, cold sweat pouring off his body. Shaking his head impatiently he immediately brought his heart rate back to normal and his breath was suddenly slow and regular.

Sasuke panted, laboring for breath

In fact if one had not heard his whispered screams one would think he was just sitting up rather than waking from a terrorizing nightmare. Itachi still haunted his sleep.

Lowering his head to his hands he took a shuddering breath. Moving jerkily he yanked the blinding white sheets off his body. His feet touched cold tile flooring and he unsteadily stood. Several tubes connected to his body snapped. The heart monitor went flat line filling the softly lit room with a constant drone as the IV tube spilled its contents over the floor making it dangerously slick.

But Sasuke was already gone.

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**(1) Song Quote:** "Cat and Mouse," by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

AN: Thanks for reading. Sorry its short, but I actually continued this story! Yay! Comment if you have any thoughts at all…

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